James Jennifer Georgina (The Yellow Book)

Thursday, 16 November 1989

We drove 580 miles yesterday: some thick foggy patches.

Mum has swallowed so many pills that she rattles when she walks.

Rheims, Monday, 19 November 1990

I am not a champagne man, but I drink it and also the best Meursault and Montrachet.

Tuesday, 20 November 1990

Daddy thinks Mrs. Thatcher will take the 2nd round against Mr. Heseltine.

Cabrières, Tuesday, 20 November 1990

Stone vaults, stone walls, and no more cement.

Sunday, 3 November 1991

Today is the latest day (9:00 p.m.) and the longest distance we have travelled (663 miles). Daddy’s accent is a curiosity everywhere we go and he has charmed everyone but the State Trooper who gave me a ticket for speeding 82 mph in a 55 mph zone. Daddy noticed a license plate Tortois (turtle). So did the State Trooper. He also got a speeding ticket.

Epcot, Wednesday, 6 November 1991

This was a heck of a way to spend our last night in the US of A. We ate in the China house and it was our first proper meal because we have eaten junk food for 10 days and that is 9 days too many. I am only eating fruit and veg for the next month.

Friday, 19 November 1993

I saw ‘The Piano’ last night. A horrifically powerful film. I love the movies [and] this is a particularly interesting film because the main character doesn’t speak though her willpower rages.

It is freezing degrees in London. I’ve bought thermal underwear at Lillywhite’s, the greatest sports door in the world! And this evening I went to see a ‘road movie’ (actually a street movie!!) called ‘Naked’ which was a little interesting.

Saturday, 20 November 1993

I was thinking of some of my favorite things: France is my favorite country, Rome is my favorite city, St. Peter’s is my favorite building, Michelangelo is probably my favorite artist (at the moment) and Bernini my favorite sculpteur (also at the moment). You’ve been to Rome in my tummy. My favorite characteristic is dignity because it encompasses intelligence and grace. Anouska Hempel is my favorite designer and Calvin Klein makes my favorite jeans. Daddy has taught me to love vegetables though salads are my favorite food. Learning something new is my favorite pastime and seeing something new is also my favorite pastime and my children are even more interesting than my favorite things.

Tuesday, 23 November 1993

Malcolm Borthwick says, “Brother George knows fuck-all about driving pheasants.” Most wonderful day of shooting. Most wonderful night of charades.

Friday, 3 November 1995

Talking about the lottery we haven’t won it so Mummy’s overdraft is bigger than the Chunnel’s and I’ve never yet travelled free with her. But we have travelled 10’s of thousands of miles and I love that.

Sunday, 5 November 1995

Ma with Anthony Hopkins at ‘Picasso’ in Ménèrbes. I don’t look like I’m trembling (can’t even spell it!) but my knees were knocking.

Tuesday, 7 November 1995

Change is something that is very subtle and when it comes too suddenly, it is called a revolution, when it happens gently, one calls it evolution. And a man who changes is often a traitor in the eyes of those who can never change. If we don’t change, we don’t progress. Being in London at the flat with Pa for 4 days I can look back over my changes.

I today think of Rabin, assassinated in Israel, who went from being a soldier of war to a soldier of peace. That is change. And Mummy flies home and I’m on my own. Life’s like that.

Tuesday, 5 November 1996

You should look at this picture carefully and count the ears. I drove 1800 kms. Mad but most of it very beautiful, especially from Valencia to Seville. The orange season is just starting. Tell Mum no shuva yet.

Mardi, le 19 novembre 1996

Granny is nuttier than 2 Corsicana fruit cakes. I slept most of the way and we are now in the Bedford Inn. Bit run down but nothing is small in America so we have a huge Jacuzzi, a huge fridge and a huge bed. A huge sleep.

Vendredi, le 6 novembre 1998

I drove in, terrified by the traffic, but here without a mistake, except for another terrifying experience in a car wash where I thought I was going to be eaten by the brushes.

Madrid – Bilbao, vendredi, le 6 novembre 1998

Wella – wella – wella. What a museum: The Prado. Velasquez: dela au dela. Thank goodness you were in France. This is the greatest museum. The greatest because I love Velasquez. I love El Greco. Goya reminds me of Granny’s dining room murals. Having a great long-necked elegant swan. The Prado is excellent even after driving 600 kms per day since leaving home. Now in Bilbao, a big magnificent city for the Guggenheim.

Samedi, le 7 novembre 1998

Largest covered market in all of Spain: one entire soccer field of fish stalls. Bought picnic supplies and 2.2 kilos of garlic! The museum is the most gorgeous building in the world.

Londres, lundi, le 9 novembre 1998

It was many, many miles but I only was bored once with the driving. The highlight of the sojourn must be the Guggenheim but The Ritz Hotel is pretty high up as is the Prado which I keep calling the Prada as in clothes and shoes. We have eaten brilliantly and I do like Spain though I don’t understand a word and few speak French.

Le fin de la Grande Guerre était le 11 novembre 1918 et les coquelicots, qui sont pas tant dans le Picardie au nord de la France, sont une mémoire pour les ‘Tommys’ qui étaient les soldats Anglais qui avec les Français ont battus les Allemands.

Londres, mercredi, le 19 novembre 1998

Dr. Scholl: foot repair: gouged, stabbed, sliced, sawed (but not off!) ugly bits of dried and brittle toe appendages. Wandered into a café and read for an hour while my feet recovered from shock. Delicious partridge for dinner.

Londre, vendredi, le 20 novembre 1998

The Labour Party want us to vote for the party, not the candidate. An authoritarian, nanny-knows-best state is killing democracy. But we have found some oxtail so that’s one in the eye for Blair.

Samedi, le 21 novembre 1998

Went shooting. Cold clear day and we got 197 pheasants, 41 partridges, 1 woodcock and a pigeon. I shot ¼ of the bag!

London, Tuesday, 3 November 1999

The cost of stamps to Europe has gone up from 30p to 34p!

Tuesday, 9 November 1999

Your absolute truth which you must not sacrifice for anyone.

Tyringham, Monday, 22 November 1999

Also known as the authorized version, the English translation of the Bible was purchased in 1611 under the auspices of James I of England. The King James Version can be seen as the descendant of previous translations into English where demand for scriptures in the vernacular met with the invention of the Gutenberg press.